Nine (2009)
Disappointing musical from Rob Marshall, the director of the excellent Chicago.
Set in the mid 60's, it follows Italian film maker Guido Contini as he struggles to harmonize his professional and social lives. Starring Daniel Day Lewis as Guido, Marshall's film focuses on the many women in his life from his wife and mistress to his mother and muse.
The film is very stylish as one would expect and features some great location work in Rome and legendary Italian film studio Cinecitta. Unfortunately it really is a case of style over substance as the story is a little on the dull side and is only livened up by the musical numbers mainly performed by the women in Guido's life.
And what women they are! Marshall's cast is outstanding - Penelope Cruz, kate Hudson, Judi Dench, Marion Cotillard, Fergie, Nicole Kidman and Sophia Loren. These musical numbers especially the ones performed by Cruz, Cotillard, Fergie and Hudson are bold, flashy, sexually charged highlights, yet even these, more often than not are let down by not having particularly memorable songs.
The huge cast is also problematic, with Kidman, Hudson and Fergie not getting nearly enough screen time i felt, especially Fergie whose raunchy delivery of Be Italian deserved more and Hudson who with the song Cinema Italiano, delivers the catchiest sing a long moment.
Nine could have been excellent, there's a whiff of something great happening, after all, 60's Italian cinema is something the majority of us here have some interest in. It's just a shame that there's no real cohesion or strong storyline to proceedings, meaning it's all a bit of a let down.
Here's Kate Hudson singing Cinema Italiano.
And Fergie performing Be Italian.
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